Each year, the AAMC conducts a national benchmarking survey to measure the impact, costs, and staffing of fundraising at its member medical schools and teaching hospitals. This survey helps medical school deans and teaching hospital CEOs assess the effectiveness of their institutional development programs. Through the survey’s annual compilation and analysis of data, medical schools and teaching hospitals can also identify philanthropic trends useful for development planning and management.
Survey Results
Key Results
Key results from the 2019 survey of 113 institutions (reporting 2018-2019 gift year data)*:
Overall philanthropic support
- $86.2 million: mean total philanthropic support per institution in 2018-2019
- 16% increase from $74.2 million per institution in 2017-2018
- $113.8 million: mean total philanthropic support from private institutions
- $62.3 million: mean total philanthropic support from public institutions
- $38.4 million: mean total philanthropic support from medical schools
- $104.9 million: mean total philanthropic support from teaching hospitals
- $125.7 million: mean total philanthropic support from joint programs
Fundraising costs and return on investment
- $8.9 million: mean fundraising cost per institution
- 2.3% increase over 2017-2018
- $0.11: median fundraising cost per dollar raised
- $9.08: median return on investment per dollar invested
Gifts of $1 million+
- 1,677 gifts over $1 million and 300 of these gifts were greater than $5 million
Campaigns
- 57% of all institutions were involved in a fundraising campaign in 2018-2019
- $245 million: median campaign goal of medical schools
- $1,000 million: median campaign goal of teaching hospitals
- $1,000 million: median campaign goal of joint programs
Scholarships
- $1.91 million: median total support raised for medical student scholarships per institutions
- $2.4 million: median scholarship support raised from private institutions
- $1.1 million: median scholarship support raised from public institutions
* Note: The data represent development activity prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Next year’s survey reporting 2019-2020 gift data will provide insight into the initial impact of the pandemic on fundraising for AAMC member institutions.